


Skywalker Comics

by msmerlin



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: AU, Adorable, Awkward Rey, Back Room Smut, Comic Book Nerd, Comic Book Store, F/M, My first Reylo, New Boss - Freeform, Smut, Who Dis, be nice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-28 11:54:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20778149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msmerlin/pseuds/msmerlin
Summary: When Rey shows up to work one rainy night during monsoon season she never expected to find out Luke sold Skywalker Comics and that her new boss was more than she bargained for.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mcal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcal/gifts).

> Disclaimer: I make no money off my writings. Just an endless supply of angst & love.
> 
> Prompt: "Rey gets caught in one of Arizona's famous monsoons. She seeks shelter in Skywalker Comics, her frequent haunt. Only Luke isn't working that night, it's his nephew Ben, and she's soaking wet".
> 
> HAPPY BIRTHDAY MCAL <3

As if being without a car in the heat of Phoenix wasn't bad enough, it was bloody monsoon season.

Prior to moving from England nearly two years ago, Rey had read up on the city. She knew Arizona was hot—read: hotter than the first layer of hell—with highs reaching nearly seven degrees celsius higher than she was used to in the mild summers of London. She was prepared for the creepy crawlies that plagued the city. Scorpions, spiders that were literally the size of her hand, and even… snakes. Ugh. She _hated_ the snakes. She was prepared for it all—except these bloody monsoons.

Rey was used to rain. She grew up in fucking London, for Christ's sake. What she was not accustomed to was the massive deluge of water that poured from clouds as if it was trying to drown the world.

Biting her bottom lip, Rey internally cursed her luck (or lack thereof) as the city bus sloshed through the rain storm, taking her ever closer to her stop. She thought she'd timed her commute better. She was supposed to miss the storm, but clearly the forecast had somehow changed between leaving her flat this morning and her last class at uni.

Rey shifted on the too-hard plastic seat, and leaned forward and pulled the oversized hood of her sweatshirt over her head. She wasn't dressed for the rain—opting to wear her well-worn pair of Converse and denim trousers when she left for class this morning—and now with the prospect of having to deal with wet sneakers for her entire shift at Skywalker's she was really kicking herself for choosing comfort over practicality.

Pushing off the seat, Rey yanked the string cable to signal she needed the next stop, and she shoved her mobile phone into the front pocket of her denims, charging port side down so if any rain did get into her pocket it wouldn't be damaged.

She muttered soft apologies as she moved down the narrow aisle of the bus, knees colliding with others as she made her way towards the door, her body swaying with the gentle motion of the moving vehicle. She gripped the metal rail, her lips thinning into a grimace as she watched the downpour turn into a near sheet of rain, and her body lurched as the bus came to a halt at her requested exit.

She could just return home or ride out the storm in the safety of the number 92 line, but she knew Luke would be pissed if she was any later than she already was. He liked to sneak off to the back room to _medicate_ promptly at her six-o-clock arrival and seeing as her wrist watch told her it was nearly fifteen minutes after the hour and she had a minimum of a five-minute walk, she knew he was going to be grumpier than usual.

Gritting her teeth, Rey took a final breath and held it in her lungs as she jammed her thumb against the oversized red button that would open the doors. The hinges squeaked in protest as the doors opened to the elements, and the hiss of the rain and wind muted by the safety of the bus gave way to the cacophony of water slamming on the pavement.

Jamming her hands into her trouser pocket, she curled one hand protectively over her phone before she descended the slippery stairs, her trainers squeaking loudly on the plastic steps. She landed on the sidewalk with a loud squelch. Water instantly flooded the sides of her shoes, soaking straight through the thick pair of socks she'd pulled on this morning, and the bottom hem of her pants began to collect water like a sponge.

"Fucking hell," Rey cursed into the storm, her nose wrinkling as she dipped her head in a feeble attempt to keep water off of her face. She took off down the sidewalk at a hurried pace, ready to find refuge from the storm at her place of employment.

The five-minute walk turned into a three-minute sprint, and by the time she pushed open the sticker-covered front door of Skywalker Comics, she was dripping from head to toe.

She was positively soaked—her outfit had collected more water than Rey thought scientifically possible considering she was just in denim trousers, a tshirt and her sweatship—but then again, she made it a habit to avoid the wet weather as much as possible. She'd had enough of the dark and gloomy days while growing up to last her a lifetime. Part of the bloody reason she had chosen Arizona was because it wasn't supposed to fucking rain. It was the middle of the bloody desert! It had literally been over ninety degrees Fahrenheit earlier!

The jingle of the bell that sat perched on the door filled the small shop, signaling her entrance, and Rey didn't even bother to look up as she flung her hood back off her head and began across the threadbare carpeted floor, her trainers making a sickening squelch with each step. "Sorry! I would have texted, but you know, your lack of an actual mobile makes it a bit hard to get ahold of you in emergenc—"

Rey's words caught in her throat when her eyes finally lifted to the register where she expected to find the frowning face of her employer for the past year, but instead saw a man who was most definitely _not_ Luke.

He was big. Massive, really. His body took up the majority of the narrow space behind the cash register. His shoulders were wide and thick, like a rugby player's, and even from her vantage point she could make out the hint of a narrowed waist. Although logically she knew the man was perched on the stool Luke purchased last winter at her request, she wondered how he had been able to fold himself behind the display case without having to lop his legs off at the knee.

But it was more than just his size. This man was… fuck, he was handsome. His skin was pale, but not that 'I spend all day in my mum's basement' sort of pasty. No, he was fucking ivory, as if he always lathered on sunscreen before even daring to step foot into the summer's sun. The smoothness of his skin was broken by a smattering of dark freckles and moles that made her wonder how many more might linger beneath his clothing. Were they on his shoulders and chest? How far down did this constellation of beauty marks run?

She stared with raised brows and her mouth open, her train of thought derailing into a near catastrophic crash within her mind. Her brain struggled to find a reason why an impossibly handsome stranger was sitting in the spot Luke should be. Who was he? Where was Luke? Was she fired and the old arsehole forgot to tell her? It wouldn't have been the first time he threatened to replace her, but she'd always just assumed they were empty threats.

Like when he told her to never order pineapple on pizza again or he would murder her. He wasn't actually going to kill her, just bitch and complain to the point where she contemplated ritual suicide by means of a ballpoint pen. But maybe he wasn't joking anymore? When _was_ his last threat of letting her go? Surely it'd been a week or two—she'd been on his good side for at least three days!

Of course, none of this would explain why instead of her boss, she was gawking at a handsome stranger.

"You must be Rey."

Oh fuck. He knew her name.

_He knew her bloody name._

Rey gulped, trying to dislodge the golf-ball-sized lump that had suddenly formed in her throat at the sight of this Adonis behind the counter. She nodded her head slowly, and her hands ungracefully smoothed across the wet denim at her hips nervously.

"You're late," the man deadpanned, his lips twitching just slightly at the corner of his mouth as he dragged his eyes across her body, taking notice of her disheveled appearance before he lifted his gaze back to hers. "Does Luke not make you phone in if you're late?"

Rey shook her head no again, her tongue running across her teeth before she cleared her throat. "Uh… he doesn't actually have a phone… something about bad vibes. Look, I'm sorry, but _who_ are you?" she questioned, a soft knit to her brow and eyes narrowing on the stranger curiously.

The question seemed to cause something to register within the man because his brows rose, and the apathy that had kept his face blank vanished. "Of course he didn't tell you." He unfolded himself from behind the counter, large hands pushing up the sleeve on the black Galaxy Battles hoodie he wore, which exposed forearms that Rey was certain looked like they'd been fucking sculpted from marble. Muscular, but not bulging. Defined with thick veins that made her mouth water.

The soft jingle of a lanyard around his neck marked his movement as he slid from behind the counter and towards her.

Tall was an understatement; he was a bloody giant!

Rey had clearly underestimated just how big this man was. When he reached her, she couldn't help but notice that the top of her head barely met the center of his chest. If she had to guess, she'd clock him about 6'4"—if she was paying attention to that sort of thing. But of course, she wasn't. Besides clearly it would be weird to have immediate fantasies about climbing said strange man who was in Luke's place behind the counter at her job.

She most definitely was _not_ thinking about the way those arms would feel wrapped around her.

Or how his hands looked like they might fit perfectly around her—

"I'm Ben," he said, gesturing to the plastic covered nametag. The words _Baby-Solo_ could be scarily seen beneath a thick layer of black Sharpie, and where he'd hastily scrawled _BEN_ in all capitals.

Ben.

Ben was a good name.

Maybe he was Benjamin. She'd once met an adorable black dog named Benjamin at the park in Mulberry—not that this Ben was anything like the scruffy mutt, but still. It was at least a promising sign, right?

"I'm Rey."

"…I know."

"Oh shit. Right." Rey's hand lifted, her fingertips touching her forehead as she grimaced up at the half giant/half man. "Sorry, I uh… I don't make a habit of coming in late. It's just the rain made my bus late, and then I had to run here. And… um, I'm not really sure why I'm explaining this to you. Where's Luke? Are you the new help he's been talking about hiring?"

"You could say that," Ben replied as he lifted a hand to card through his thick black hair, pushing it back on his head. "I bought the store from my uncle last week. I flew in to sign the paperwork, and he took off before the ink had even dried."

"Bought the store? As in _this_ store?" Rey made an awkward gesture around them, a trail of water dripping off her hoodie and onto the floor. Why on earth would anyone actually want to buy Skywalker Comics? It wasn't as if Luke was making a lot of money from running the place. In fact, Rey was fairly certain he was losing it. Comic books and tabletop games weren't exactly popular anymore and the little niche market they did have— well, Luke alienated himself from many potential customers just by existing. He hated nearly every loyal patron they had and drove countless customers away with his ranting and raving. How Rey had managed to get on his good side long enough to secure a part-time job was still beyond her.

Though if she had to guess, it was because of her love for the original trilogy. While the newer Galaxy Battle movies captivated many of her peers, Rey had always found the original films a far better representation of the diversity of the series. This belief seemed to be the magic potion needed to win over Luke's blackened heart, for after their first initial discussion on the series she'd had a job offer by the end of the week.

It hadn't been much of a job offer. Minimum wage and twenty hours a week, but it paid what little bills Rey did have. Sure, she should have probably looked for something with more hours and better pay, but she enjoyed the comic store. It reminded her of the small store that she used to hide in after school before returning to her group home. She'd stay hidden between the rows in the musty old shop, pouring over the latest issues of X-Men and The Fantastic Four.

"Unless there is another Skywalker Comics I don't know about, then yes, I bought _this_ store." Ben's dark eyes narrowed on her skeptically, as if trying to assess if Rey was really as daft as she'd made herself out to be over the course of their ten-minute interaction.

"I wasn't aware it had been for sale."

"It wasn't."

"…you just said you bought it."

"I did."

"But… it wasn't for sale."

"Correct."

Rey's mouth opened and closed several times before she decided that the conversation regarding to Ben's sudden acquisition of Skywalk Comics was clearly going nowhere. "Okay… So, Ben… new store owner… I guess I should apologize for being late."

"It's fine. I supposed you couldn't help it with the storm," Ben said, and his eyes lifted to peer over her shoulder to the large windows that made up the front of the store where the monsoon raged on outside. "Did you say you ran here?"

"Technically I _jogged_ from the bus stop. Running in a monsoon is not advisable." Rey shifted her weight between her feet, her fingers curling around the dripping hem of her sweatshirt and wringing water from the fabric and onto the floor.

"You don't drive?" Ben questioned, dark brown eyes flicking back down to her.

She could sense an air of disbelief in his voice, and she couldn't really blame him. Phoenix was a large city, and without reliable transportation it was hard to navigate—even with halfway decent public transit. "I have my license," Ray said as she fumbled to fish her wallet from her waterlogged purse on her hip. Shaking off some of the excess rain, she flipped open her small black wallet and turned her ID towards Ben. "But no car. I usually catch a ride from my roommate during storms, but she had to work, and I was on campus before coming here… so the bus it was."

"Hm…" Ben's lips pursed to the corner of his mouth, and his eyes dropped to the floor. Rey followed his gaze and found the carpet underneath her soggy sneakers beginning to stain from the rainwater that still dripped off her clothing. She looked up just in time to watch his nostrils flare in what she could only assume was irritation. Before she could so much as utter an apology for sloshing water across the store, Ben tugged down the sleeves of his hoodie and pulled the garment off in one fell swoop.

As he untangled the lanyard from the hood of his sweatshirt, Rey couldn't help but notice the way his askew hair revealed a set of ears that stuck out just a little too much. It gave the whole massive masculine sex appeal that seemed to exude from him an adorable twist. She wondered if the shaggy hairstyle was a means of covering them up or because he was a typical lazy comic store nerd who only went to the barber once a year. As much as she'd come to enjoy the clientele of Skywalker Comics, she'd come to notice that for that particular crowd, personal upkeep was not at the top of their priority list.

To be fair, it wasn't exactly on hers either. She had pairs of underwear older than she cared to admit, and nearly all of her socks had holes in them. But since she'd moved to Arizona, she spent more than half her time in sandals, so she found little need to actually go purchase new socks when she wore them less than two months out of the year.

"Here." Ben extended the hand clutching his faded Galaxy Battles hoodie towards her. "You should probably change."

Rey eyed the clothing skeptically, her fingers nervously tugging at the hem of her on sodden sweatshirt. Why would he offer his bloody sweatshirt? Who was this pseudo knight-in-shining armor? In Rey's experience, these things typically came with some sort of catch. Nothing in life was ever this easy, and nobody—literally _nobody_ wanted to do things for her without something in return. "Ehh…"

"Luke kept pretty shit stock on new product, but regardless there are at least _some_ valuable comics here. You can't exactly work a shift slinging water everywhere, now can you?" Ben thrust his hand out a bit further, brows lifting as his dark brown eyes implored her to take the damn thing. As much as she wanted to turn down his offer, she reached forward and took the garment.

"Thanks." Technically, he was her boss now. Had she turned him down, it could be considered insubordination, and she didn't feel like trying to find a new job this close to the end of term.

Ben gave an awkward nod of his head as he put his lanyard back around his neck, fingers carefully adjusting his nametag against his abdomen before he stuffed his hands into the front pockets of his denims. "I think there might be some stuff in the back from an old apparel order. I didn't see much when I poked around before Luke took off, but… help yourself to whatever you need."

"Oh, I'll be fine in this." Rey wasn't really the best liar, but she could force a smile when needed. As much as it would suck to work her shift in wet clothing, she couldn't exactly afford to pay for any of the overpriced apparel Luke bought. Thirty-five dollars for a cheaply made foil logo Marvel shirt, or Galaxy Battle sweatpants wasn't exactly in the budget when she made eleven dollars an hour.

"You really won't." Ben replied matter of factly.

"Really it's no big deal. The hoodie will be—"

Ben rolled his eyes as he let out a heavy sigh, and he reached up to move some of fallen strands of black hair off his forehead. "Just go get into something dry, okay? I won't deduct it from your check."

"Well, in that case." Rey's sneakers squeaked as she quickly moved past Ben towards the back room before he could change his mind. After closing the heavy metal door and pushing one of the folding chairs underneath the door handle (since it didn't fucking lock—thanks Luke), Rey made quick work of going through the musty boxes in the back corner.

She was halfway through the second box before she found a pair of sweatpants that were at least close to her size and didn't have writing across the ass. Slipping out of her wet clothes, Rey draped them across the small coiled heater that sat against the back wall, careful to make sure her underwear was hidden beneath the leg of her pants. That way if Ben did happen to come to the back during her shift, he wouldn't see the lovely pair of flamingo print knickers she'd chosen this morning.

Slipping into the black sweatpants, Rey yanked the string waist tight before double knotting it. Picking up the sweatshirt Ben had offered her, Rey quickly slipped it on and almost immediately regretted the decision.

The sweatshirt wasn't the problem. It was nice, warm and cozy. Well worn in, which meant it had a downy layer of fluff on the inside that seemed to wick any remaining moisture away from her skin. No, the problem was the scent of Ben's cologne.

She was immediately taken back to that middle school feeling—the one where the cute boy let the girl borrow his sweatshirt at the skating rink. With her hands still hidden under the long sleeves, Ray gathered the front collar of the hoodie and held it up to her nose so she could deeply inhale the intoxicating scent.

Bergamot, like her favorite tea, with just a hint of citrus that left a small bite.

But there was something else.

Something spicy. Cinnamon maybe?

She let her eyes drift closed as she took in another deep inhalation, letting herself lean back against the stone wall as she lost herself in the scent. Jesus help her. She shouldn't be doing this. Ben was her boss now, and she knew literally nothing about him. What if he was married? She hadn't even bothered to check for a wedding band—something she was normally very good about doing when coming across an attractive man.

He could be married! Hell, he could be a bloody serial killer for all she knew, and she was in the back of his shop pining for a man she knew literally nothing about. All because he was built like a sturdy tree and smelt like sex.

"You find everything okay?"

Ben's call pulled her out of her lust-filled reverie, and she snapped back to reality all at once. A deep blush blossomed across her cheeks as she yanked down the sweatshirt's collar. "Yeah. Be out in a minute!" she croaked before pushing off the cold stone wall.

She needed to get it together.

She had a five-hour shift, and it would do no good to fantasize about her new employer.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is NSFW.

"Rey, you don't understand what you did by stopping us in the middle of a league-sanctioned game, do you?" A teenage boy whined as he was escorted to the door, his backpack slung loosely over one shoulder, the back pocket unzipped and hanging open. He fiddled with a stack of Magic: The Gathering cards, trying to stuff them back inside the black and white panda card box as quickly as he could without bending them. "I was about to beat Aurthur! Do you realize what that would have meant?"

Rey bit back the snarky replied that lingered on the tip of her tongue and instead gave the gangly teen a gentle pat on his shoulder. "You'll get him next time, Frank… preferably before closing."

"Rey, I would have been the best in Phoenix! In the entire city. I would have outranked all of the other players! You could have been talking to Magic royalty if you'd let me finish the game!"

"Well aren't I the luckiest girl at the ball?" Rey mumbled under a heavy breath before reaching past the long-legged teen. She pulled open the door, the bells that sat on top of it tinkling as she swept her hand in front of her. "Your chariot awaits in the parking lot, your majesty."

"Ugh. You're so annoying," the teen grumbled, stuffing his deck box into his backpack before he roughly zipped the pocket shut. "Luke would have let us finish."

"Yeah? Well Luke doesn't own Skywalker Comics anymore, and the man who does—" Rey gestured towards Ben, who had begun to balance the register "—is rather keen on keeping to the hours posted. So, with that said, I suppose I will see you tomorrow when you come to avenge your honor."

With a small huff and bob of his head, the teenager withdrew his keys from his pocket, fumbling to find the right one before he stepped into the darkness, only pausing to give her one last glance over his shoulder. "Where did Luke go anyways?"

Rey leaned against the cold metal of the door, propping her hip and shoulder against it as she looked out into the darkened parking lot at her last customer. "No idea," she replied honestly. "I didn't even know he'd sold the place until I came in tonight."

"Huh… strange," the teen remarked with a furrowed brow. He lifted his shoulders in a casual shrug before continuing his path towards the heavily dented minivan that lingered in the back of the parking lot. "Goodnight, Rey," he called out into the void, lifting his hand in a goodbye.

"Goodnight, Frank," Rey returned, staying rooted in place with the door open as she always did until she made sure the young customer was safely inside his vehicle. Frank was a shit. He was mouthy and had a tendency to overstay his welcome. He was also way too into Magic: The Gathering, as far as she was concerned. But he had weaseled his way into a spot in her heart that she couldn't seem to deny, no matter how hard she tried.

Once the minivan rolled from its spot, Rey nudged the door shut before twisting the key that sat in the lock and she flipped the paper sign that hung beside the door to CLOSED.

Closing time was her favorite. Luke would let her pick the music since he typically disappeared to the back to smoke, and she would shelve the comics and collectables that had piled up on the go-back table during the shift. She didn't have to talk to anyone. She didn't have to force a smile or speak to any of their more exuberant customers. It was when she could ignore the world and surround herself in the magic of make-believe and mythos.

But tonight was different.

Tonight, Luke wasn't here to skive off his duties.

Tonight, she was with Ben.

Ben.

The stupidly handsome owner whose eyes had been following her for the entire bloody five-hour shift.

Ben, who apparently immediately returned go-backs instead of letting them pile up on the back counter—like some sort of hyper-efficient Greek god.

Ben, who chewed on pens while browsing magazines. Who counted change back to customers. Whose smile stretched wide across his face, lifting even his eyes. Ben, who was her bloody boss but wore a cologne that smelt like sex on a platter.

Ben.

She was going to have to close the store with a man she knew so little about. And to boot, she was going to have to manage it without knickers.

Clasping her hands together in front of her, Rey ambled up to the counter, cautiously approaching Ben as he hastily counted out the pennies in the cash drawer. "So…"

Ben didn't even look up from his work; instead he held up one finger towards her before quickly finishing his counting. He snatched a pen off the counter before he scribbled down the amount on a pad of yellow paper that she had found buried in the back underneath several questionable-looking boxes of merchandise. "Sorry, didn't want to lose count."

"Oh, it's okay." Rey brushed off his apology as she planted her elbows on the counter. She pulled the sleeves of Ben's sweatshirt over her palms and curled her fingers around the cuff before resting her chin on her closed hands.

Ben's eyes drifted over her, a half smirk pulling at his lips as he leaned back against the counter behind him, long arms crossing over his broad chest. "Well, what's up?" he questioned with a casual lift of his brow that made Rey's stomach flip.

Rey cleared her throat, trying her best to stop the heat from rising to her cheeks, but found herself unable to prevent it. "I was just curious if I could leave. Normally I shelve the go-backs after close, but you already took care of it… and if I leave now I can catch the ten-o-clock bus."

A flash of surprise flickered in his eye for a brief second. Rey might have missed it had she not been lost staring into the endless depths of his dark brown irises. "Uh, sure," Ben breathed his reply, a slight disappointment tinting his tone, and he dropped his gaze to look at the cash drawer once more. Shifting off the back counter, Ben shut the drawer and locked it before withdrawing the small silver key. "But before you leave, would you mind showing me around the back? I found an invoice for some material for Free Comic Book Day, but can't find shit in that back room."

"Of course not!" Rey gave him a quick shake of her head, and she pushed off the counter and began toward the backroom, keeping her eyes averted from him. "Sorry it's such a nightmare. I tried to tell Luke to spend some time organizing back there, but he said he knew where everything was at—which I hardly believe."

She could hear Ben's heavy footsteps behind her, and as she opened the door to the store room, she felt his arm brush across her shoulder when he moved to hold it open, allowing her to slip inside. Her cheeks crimsoned just a tad more at the accidental contact, and she internally cursed herself for being so bloody responsive. She normally wasn't this bad—she'd been around attractive men before. Hell, she'd even flirted her way into a couple of their beds for the night. But there was something about him… something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"So I think they're over here." She moved into the stockroom, side stepping a couple of wayward boxes as she made her way past the heater that held her drying attire. She continued past the musty stack of comics that Luke had refused to get rid of because he'd sworn they might be worth money one day, despite the fact he had not properly preserved them. Rey edged around another stack of boxes until she reached the last row of merchandise that had been haphazardly shoved on a rickety old shelving unit.

She scanned the labels on the boxes quickly, her hands tapping a nervous rhythm against her thighs as she tried to hurry and find the damn thing. It wasn't that she wasn't keen on helping him—quiet the opposite actually, the unmistakable thrill of sexual tension tugged at her core at his very proximity to her. She needed to hurry so she could get the bloody hell out of the store and put some tangible distance between herself and her far-too-attractive employer before she did something foolish. "Here it is," she called out when she found the box. It sat on the middle shelf closest to the wall, its label already half peeled off due to the poor insulation around the window.

Rey tapped the box with her index finger, the thunk of the cardboard blotting the air, before she spun around to show Ben. Except she didn't really need to show him, because he'd been standing directly behind her. Hovering just over her shoulder as she searched. She ran face first into the massive expanse of his chest, and her hands instinctively rose to brace herself against him to prevent her from knocking either of them to the floor—though it was unlikely she actually could. Ben easily held fifty plus pounds on her if she had to guess. Not that she'd put any thought to how much bigger her was than her… and how he could have easily overpowered her… held her down… while ravishing her body… pinning her against the back counter after close.

No, not at all.

"Whoa, you alright?" Ben's hands found her waist, and even through the thick sweatshirt she could feel a warmth radiate from his palms and spread across her hips.

Gulping, Rey slowly lifted her head to look up at Ben, and she was suddenly more aware than before of how bloody big he was. His hands nearly encircled her waist, and the top of her head barely reached the top of his chest. She felt dwarfed by him—which was a foreign feeling as Rey had always been one of the tallest of her friends, even as a child. "I… yh…" Her voice cracked as she struggled to find the words that had suddenly vanished under his heavy gaze.

Ben didn't move. His dark eyes flickered down to her lips, and she instinctively dragged her tongue across them. The nervous habit was evidently the only invitation he needed, for one minute he was still holding her by her waist, and the next his hand was on her jaw, and his lips were on hers.

Fire burst to life inside Rey before her mind could comprehend what was going on.

Ben.

Ben, her bloody boss was kissing her.

Ben, Luke's nephew.

Ben, the handsome giant was kissing her.

Her hand curled into his chest, and she rose on the tips of her toes as she pressed hungrily back into the kiss. Distantly, in the far reaches of her mind, she knew this was wrong. After all, Ben was her employer, but fuck it. All logical thought had evaded her brain the moment his hands found her waist, and his lips were against hers. When his tongue swept past her lips, a warm invitation to something more, she could honestly give a fuck less about him technically being her employer.

Her body was pliant under his touch, willing to do whatever he requested with just the push and pull of his body against hers. Ben guided her backward until she was pressed against the wall. The contrast of the heat radiating from his body warming her front and cold from the stone at her back sent a shiver down her spine that only seemed to fuel whatever lust-filled haze they'd lost themselves in.

The war within her conscience seemed to rear its ugly head—despite her body practically singing for his touch.

This was wrong.

This shouldn't be happening.

He was her boss!

But when his hand at her waist slipped beneath the borrowed sweatshirt and the rough pads of his fingers danced across the soft skin at her hips before mapping their way up her side, all protests were silenced. Because this felt right—he was supposed to be doing this. Kissing her. Touching her. Possessing her.

Rey's tongue swept across Ben's, their mouths locked as she ran her hands across the expanse of his chest, nails scratching lightly against his shirt for purchase as his hips seated against hers. The distinct feeling of his manhood brushed against her abdomen sent a jolt of desire to the growing pool of warmth low in her belly, and stole the air from her lungs..

"Holy shit." Rey broke the kiss with her labored declaration, her breath ghosting across Ben's lips, and when his hand cupped her breast, she let out a soft keen as she arched into his palm.

His thumb dragged over her nipple as he gently kneaded her supple skin, barely enough to fill his palm. A blossom of embarrassment began to build, but the moment his lips met her ear, she found she had little to be worried about.

"I've watched you… all night." His breath ghosted across her skin, raising the small hairs on the back of her neck. "So fucking beautiful… when you walked into the store, I couldn't believe it."

Little noises ripped from the back of her throat and spilled from her lips as he plucked and pulled on her nipple until she trembled under his touch.

"Arms up," he instructed as he drug his lips across her neck, pausing to nibble on the hollow of her throat before his tongue lavished against the raised skin.

Rey moved slowly, her hands reluctantly leaving his chest, and she lifted them above her head.

"Good girl," Ben whispered, the subtle praise doing wicked things to her ego as she allowed him to divest her of his sweatshirt. The cold air pricked her skin, and she didn't dare lean back against the cold wall. Instead, her hands found the bottom hem of his shirt before he could even drop the sweatshirt he'd peeled from her skin, and she yanked it over his head.

All the images she'd conjured in her head over the course of her shift didn't do an ounce of justice to the picture she was presented with. A shirtless Ben was enough to wet any red-blooded female's knickers, but a shirtless Ben with a noticeable bulge in his trousers—with his pupils blown wide with need—well, God help her for having the ability to even think.

Rey's eyes trailed across his torso, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip, and by the time she reached his beltline, she couldn't hear a damn thing over the sound of her own heartbeat. Rey had been with men before—maybe not loads of guys, but enough to make her more than experienced in the art of a quick shag in a back room, but suddenly the idea of doing anything quickly with Ben just seemed like a fucking waste.

No, she wanted to take her time. Explore the panes of his body, trace the dark freckles that splashed across his pale skin, and question how he'd obtained each little scar. She wanted to spread herself across him and curl up in his arms and lose herself in the madness that was his touch again and again.

But Ben clearly had other ideas in mind.

His hands were on her waist once more, curling into the elastic band of her sweatpants, and he tugged her back into his orbit. His mouth found hers as his arms wound around her waist, and he hoisted her up effortlessly.

Rey's startled cry was swallowed by his kiss, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms encircling his neck in a tight hold as he began to move through the clutter-filled storage area.

Boxes tumbled to the floor, and Rey was vaguely away of the sound of glass breaking, but none of it seemed to matter. She had no idea where Ben was taking her, though to be fair, she didn't particularly care in the moment. As long as his hands and his lips stayed on her body, she was willing to go wherever he took her.

When they stumbled into another stack of boxes, sending the top two crashing to the floor, Rey couldn't help but laugh against his lips. "Careful," she whispered, her fingers sliding into his shaggy black hair.

"I'm trying." He nipped at her bottom lip before breaking the kiss to look around the room, as if trying to recenter himself in the mess so he could navigate through it.

Rey took the opportunity to lean in, and she pressed her lips to his throat. His stubble scratched her lips as she moved around his throat, kissing and licking until she found a spot that made his breath hitch and her name tumble from his throat in a breathy moan.

Ben moved through the chaos that was Skywalker Comic's back room, careful to avoid any more boxes as he moved to a round wooden table that sat against the far wall. Ben lowered Rey on it, his right hand coming to rest beside her hip as the other rose to cup her jaw, and he angled her head back until his lips pressed against hers once more.

Rey ran her hands over his shoulders, her fingers splayed wide to caress as much skin as she could as she wrapped her arms around his neck and tugged him with her as she leaned back on the wooden surface.

Ben broke the kiss, despite the small unbidden whimper that escaped her lips . His hand moved down her jaw and across her throat, down her sternum until he gently pressed her flat on the table. "Stay." His command sent a new pulse of desire burning in her core, and Rey gave an obedient nod.

She lay silent, chewing on her bottom lip as she watched him uncurl his spine and stand at his full height between her parted thighs. His hand moved to his denim trousers and he pulled his wallet from his back pocket, quickly fumbling to open it, and he withdrew a small foil wrapper that she was far too familiar with.

"Thank fuck," Rey breathed, her hands lifting from the side of the table, and she hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her sweatpants, eager to remove the pesky clothing from her body. Before she could get them over the swell of her arse, one of Ben's hands wrapped around her wrist, freezing her movement.

"Stop." Dark eyes bored into hers before slowly running down the length of her body to where her hands lay. "I want to."

She was fucked. She was royally and totally fucked.

This impulse that made her want to shag her boss wasn't simply going to end here.

Not when he looked at her like that and said things that made her head swim.

She gave him a shaky nod and slowly pulled her hands away from the waistband of her sweatpants, letting them fall against the soft wood of the table beside her hips.

Ben's hands ran up her legs, covering as much of her thighs as they could until he reached the elastic band of her pants, and he slowly curled his fingers into the fabric. Dark eyes flashed up to hers, as if to check if it was still okay and when Rey gave him a small nod, Ben leaned over her and pressed his lips against her hip bone.

Little by little, Ben worked her sweatpants down her body, making sure to kiss and lick his way across her skin—although he purposefully avoided the one spot on her frame that was literally begging for his attention.

Her hands stayed flat on the table, fingers curling against the wood as he nibbled on her thighs and down her calves. Her breath came in small pants by the time he slipped the sweatpants over her feet.

"Ben…" She breathed the whimper, her hand pushing through her still-damp hair.

"Shhh." He took an ankle in each hand and slowly guided her feet to the edge of the table until she was forced to part her thighs, exposing the most intimate part of herself to him.

"Fuck." She heard him curse, and when she lifted her head off the table to peer down her body to him, her breath caught in her throat at the look that was etched across his face. A deep, burning hunger that threatened to consume not only him, but her as well.

His hands moved up her legs, past her knees to her thighs, and he gently parted her legs even more as he leaned in to press a soft kiss at the top of her glistening mound. His shoulders brushed against the sensitive skin on the inside of her knees, and he carefully wound his arms underneath her thighs and looped her legs over his broad shoulders as he pulled her to the edge of the table in one swift motion.

Before she could adjust to the new position—her flat on her back, her arse dangling over the edge of the table—his mouth was on her. His tongue slipped past her folds in firm sweeping strokes, seeking out her clit. Her right hand dove into his hair, nails scratching lightly at his scalp as he devoured her.

Rey spoke his name in a plea more as he toyed with her, his tongue flicking and caressing her cunt until she trembled beneath his lips, her body perched on the edge of a precipice she wasn't even aware existed until that very moment. "Please," she moaned, grabbing fistfuls of his shaggy black hair. "Ben, please."

Ben hummed lightly against her, his fingers curling into the soft skin at her hips, and he seemed to double his efforts on delivering the most mind numbing pleasure possible. His lips wrapped around her clit, and he sucked lightly at the small bundle until her pleas turned to unintelligible moans as she found herself lost in the drugging waves of climax.

Her back arched off the table, and her hands curled into his hair, desperately grinding against his face as stars burst behind her eyes. All at once she felt like she could see, taste, and smell the constellations that painted the milky sky outside. Her legs quaked with tremors on either side of his head, and she could feel her core pulse with a sickening need for him to fill her body.

Ben's tongue gently lapped at her aching core, prolonging her orgasm until she was forced to push his head away from between her thighs as the overwhelming sensation became more than she could bear in that moment.

Ben's tongue swept across his lips as he rose up from the floor, sliding her thighs off his shoulders, and he held an almost predatory smirk as he took in her boneless form splayed across the table.

Rey's chest heaved as she watched his hands drop to his belt, and the metal clink of him unthreading the leather from his belt loops seemed to echo off the walls around her. The slow hiss from his zip soon followed, and Rey's eyes stayed glued to his hands as he pushed down his pants and boxers in one fluid motion.

His cock sprang from its confines and bounced against his taut stomach, smearing a soft trail of pearlescent liquid that leaked from his slit across his abdomen as he leaned forward to retrieve the condom he'd set on the table.

Rey reached out before he could pluck it from where it lay beside her hip, and she stole the foil packet. Pushing herself up into a sitting position, Rey lifted her eyes to her now confused employer, and she bit at the corner of the wrap and tore the package open.

Ben seemed to get the hint and edged closer until his thighs bit into the edge of the table, his right hand dropping to lazily stroke his cock as he watched her remove the condom from its wrapper.

Rey shifted on the table, widening her thighs around him as she lowered her gaze to his cock, and she bit back a moan. Reaching out, she gently wrapped her hand around his cock, gauging his girth with a gentle squeeze before she ran her fingers up his shaft and brushed across the head on her upstroke.

"Rey," Ben hissed in approval, his eyes slamming shut at her gentle caress..

Rey glanced up between her thick lashes to watch his reaction as she gently began to pump him, letting the velvet smooth skin of his cock glide beneath her fingertips. His hips slowly began to rock into her hand, and he allowed her to set a slow and experimental pace that seemed to meet both of their needs.

"If you don't stop—" Ben warned through gritted teeth after a moment "—I'm not going to last."

Rey's cheeks crimsoned, despite the fact his mouth had just been on the most intimate part of her body. The idea that she could bring this mountain of a man to his end with just her touch alone was more than she could handle.

Lifting the condom to the head of his manhood, she gently rolled it down his length, careful to secure it at the base of his cock before she angled his length down towards her core.

Ben's hands moved to her thighs when Rey pressed her feet back on the edge of the table, and he gently pressed against her entrance before he paused, his hips flexed towards hers.

Rey looked up from where she'd been guiding him into her, her fingers still resting on his shaft, and she found his eyes. He was waiting—for some sort of approval that this was in fact what she wanted. And as charming as it all was, the idea of spending one more second without him being fully sheathed inside her sounded like some sort of corporal punishment.

Lifting her free hand from the table, she slipped her finger into the side of his hair and pulled him down towards her as she arched up until their lips pressed together once more, and she lifted her right leg from the table to wrap around his waist and pull him in closer.

Ben's fingers dimpled her skin as he sunk inside her heat, inch by inch until his hips were flush against hers, and Rey couldn't possibly discern where her body ended and his began.

Ben set a slow and steady pace, unwilling to part from their kiss just yet. With each thrust into her body, he would twist his hips in a grind as he bottomed out inside her, eliciting small gasps and whimpers of pleasure that he greedily ate up in his quest to bring them both to climax.

Rey's breasts pressed flat against his chest as she clung to him, and with each thrust he delivered to her willing body, Rey found herself losing the ability to perform even the most involuntary actions. Breathing became difficult, and Lord help her if she thought uttering a word was possible.

Instead, she was forced to break their kiss, her forehead pressing against his chin as her eyes slammed shut. Her nails bit at the skin of his shoulders in a desperate attempt to find purchase as he picked up the pace of his thrusts.

The soft sound of their skin connecting, mixed with the taboo of their combined moans soon filled the room, and just when Rey wasn't sure she was going to be able to climax again, she found herself spiraling off the proverbial cliff of oblivion once more.

Between her thighs, she could feel his hips stutter in response and then the soft pulse of his cock as he followed her lead. Her name spilled from his lips as he praised her repeatedly, his hands stroking up and down her sides as he came with shallow thrusts until he slowed to a stop, his cock still sheathed deeply inside her.

Rey's hand traveled across his shoulders, his sweat wicking on the pads of her fingers as she moved down his arms, and when she pulled back enough to look up at his face, she was surprised to find the hint of a smile already tugging on the corner of his parted lips.

He took deep breaths, his chest heaving in an effort to slow his rapid heartbeat. Sweat glistened across his brow, matting the baby hairs that lined his hairline. "Hi…" he whispered, his breath still labored.

"Hi," Rey returned shyly, her cheeks tinting with embarrassment despite the fact his cock was still buried deep inside her. And it was just then, as she was trying to calm down her wayward emotions over what had just happened, that she realised how bloody impulsive this whole thing had been.

She knew nothing about him—well, next to nothing! What she had managed to find out over the course of the small talk during her shift was of little consequence, because at the end of the day knowing that he liked his hotdogs with mayonnaise—like some sort of sociopath—and preferred Marvel to DC was of no bloody use when trying to determine if the person you just slept with was actually a decent human.

"I… I—" Rey stammered, doubt rising inside her as she gently pushed on Ben until he slipped from her body and the pink blush that had painted her cheeks deepened to a dark crimson.

"Rey?" Ben's voice was low and soft, like one would talk to a scared child, and he reached out to lay his hand on hers. "Are you okay?"

Rey nodded, her lips pressing together as she lifted her eyes from the floor to look at him once more. "I don't even know your last name, or if you have siblings, or what your mother's name is—or if you have a mother! I know nothing about you, Ben… and I just slept with you. And you know nothing about me! You don't know my last name, or that I prefer a cheese toastie to mac 'n' cheese. Or that I wear mismatched socks because I absolutely abhor folding laundry, or that I dogear books because I cannot stand bookmarks. Ben... I… we—" she stammered, trying to find her words. "This… this wasn't a mistake, but fuck, this is crazy. You're my boss, and I just shagged you on the back table on your first night owning the place. I'm not exactly sure if this was the impression I wanted to make."

Ben's eyes softened on her, his lips quirking in a smile, and he slowly laced their fingers together before bringing her hand up to his lips, where he pressed soft kisses across her knuckles, before he spoke.

"Solo," Ben said slowly, his lips brushing across her skin with each word. "My last name is Solo. I'm an only child. My mother's name is Leia, and my father's Han. I grew up in Vermont and lived with my parents until I was ten. Uncle Luke took me in when they divorced, and I lived here—in Phoenix—until I was seventeen. I'll answer any question you want, anything at all, as long as you don't run away. Because I don't fucking care about first impressions or second. Or third. I don't mind that you dogear books, but if you do it to comics then we might have issues. And I have no fucking idea what a cheese toasite is, but I haven't had mac 'n' cheese in decades, so I think we'll be okay. I don't need to know your last name or your family tree to know is your perfect or not, Rey. Because no one is...I'm not, but I have this feeling—call it a gut instinct of whatever you want to, but I just know that any fault you have won't matter."

Rey let out a short laugh in disbelief before she bit her bottom lip. Run away? Like she even could. She needed this job. Yes the money was shit, and the customers weren't exactly the best, but she enjoyed it. But more importantly, he was here. Yes, she knew little about him. And yes, impulsivity had typically ended poorly for her. But maybe this time would be different. Maybe this time it would all work out in the end.

"Okay," she said after several beats of silence, gently squeezing his hand wrapped in hers. "I can't argue with that, now can I?"

Ben let out a laugh, one of those short, breathy laughs that people tended to do when genuinely pleased. It was the same type of laugh Luke would let loose when he was reading a new comic. Or when Rose was mid-text marathon with Finn. Rey had heard them before, countless times growing up, but this was the first time that type of laugh had been directed at her.

Her heart fluttered when Ben lifted his free hand and gently cupped her cheek, his thumb stroking across her jawline as he looked down at her as if he was seeing right through her insecurities and hesitations. "I was really unsure about moving back here. Seeing old friends and dredging up painful memories… but now? I'm really glad I did," he whispered, dark eyes flickering between hers. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you, Rey."

"Me too, Ben." Her voice was just a breath of a whisper as she spoke, and when the corners of his mouth lifted into a lopsided grin, she couldn't deny the rush of excitement that filled her belly. She knew one thing for certain: Luke's unexpected sale of Skywalker Comics was proving to be the most exciting thing that had happened to her in awhile.

Well that and the fact that there was no way Ben was getting his Galaxy Battles sweatshirt back any time soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DEAREST FRIEND. I love you to pieces. Welcome to the 30 club. Enjoy.
> 
> until next time xx

**Author's Note:**

> At the behest of my lovely, amazing, fabulous friend, mcal, I dove headfirst into the Reylo world recently. She ushered me to the dark side with lovely fics and ABO smut that has literally stolen hours of my life. It was only fair that I return the favor for her birthday! I stumbled across Skywalker Comics prompt and well.... it was meant to be. 
> 
> Huge thank you to Ravenslight for beta-ing the fuck out of this chapter. You're a literal goddess. and endless thank you to LostInQueue who read this chapter and encouraged me to continue on into this new Reylo adventure. 
> 
> Lastly, but super not least, Happy Early Birthday to my darling friend, mcal. Enjoy part one, my dear! You wont get the second chapter until your real birthday. <3
> 
> until next time. xx


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